Deluge exists, rain-related toll reaches to 296 in UP

Lucknow, Jul 27: Even as the heavy rainfall has slowed down in intensity in several regions of Uttar Pradesh, flood havoc and tumble-down of walls continued to add to the grievances of the people in the state.

As many as 18 people died in wall collapse incidents overnight taking the death toll due to the rain-triggered incidents in the state to 296 so far.

As per the reports, 20 houses have tumbled down in eastern UP districts -- Basti, Maharajganj, Deoria, Sant Kabirnagar, Siddharthnagar and Kushinagar -- which were witnessing little rains for the last two days.

Three people have been reportedly buried alive in Siddharthnagar and Kushinagar districts' each, followed by two each in Maharajganj and Gorakhpur.

Commissioner of Basti division, T P Pathak, said till now 40 people have died in the collapse of dilapidated houses and walls in the division. An ex-gratia of Rs one lakh was provided to each of the bereaved families.

A total of 925 villages were still under the affect of flood in the Basti division, Mr Pathak informed. Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), police and home guards have been pressed into service for relief and rescue operations.

Reports from Pratapgarh confirmed the death of five persons in the tumble-down of walls. Two others sustained injuries in the incident. Three others died in Sultanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur.

UNI